Description

These easy cinnamon sugar donut muffins are soft, tender, and cake-like! Baked until golden, then brushed with melted butter and dunked in cinnamon-sugar, they’re super simple to whip up. Sour cream adds rich flavor that reminds you of an old-fashioned donut, no deep frying required. Recipe makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients

Muffins

1 1/2 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) baking powder
1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (56 g) neutral baking oil
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar
1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
1 cup (240 g) sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup (60 g) milk, at room temperature

Topping

3 Tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with baking cups; spray baking cups lightly with nonstick spray.
Make muffins: Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, oil, and sugars in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in egg and vanilla. Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
Fill each baking cup 3/4 full of batter.
Bake muffins: Place muffin pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Without opening the oven door, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 14 minutes (for a total baking time of 19 minutes), until muffins are light golden, tops spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Let muffins cool in pan on a wire rack for 3 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
Cinnamon-sugar coating: Place wire rack with muffins over a piece of wax paper or parchment. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush warm muffin tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
Muffins are best freshly baked. Store any leftover muffins overnight in an airtight container. Reheat for about 15 seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in a 300°F oven before serving.

Notes

Nutmeg: Adds rich, nutty flavor to the muffins. If you don’t love nutmeg, use 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg for a more mild flavor. If you opt for freshly grated nutmeg, use 1/8 teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon. Freshly granted nutmeg is much stronger than pre-ground nutmeg.

Freeze leftover muffins: Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze muffins up to 2 months for best texture and flavor. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through before serving. If desired, re-brush the tops with melted butter and dip in fresh cinnamon sugar.

Make ahead and freeze: Bake muffins and let them cool completely on a wire rack (do not add the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar topping). Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through. After reheating, brush the tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar for a just-baked finish.

Recipe inspired by King Arthur